Cyclones take advantage of Texas Tech mistakes

Posted: Sunday, October 13, 2002

The Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) - Lane Danielsen sprinted 79 yards for a touchdown on a reverse and Seneca Wallace scored on a spectacular 12-yard run, leading No. 11 Iowa State to a 31-17 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday night.

Iowa State (6-1, 3-0 Big 12) frustrated a Texas Tech offense that had averaged 48.3 points over its last three games. Red Raiders quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, who had thrown for more than 400 yards in each of his two previous games, had just 272.

Texas Tech (4-3, 1-1) contained Wallace, the Big 12's leader in passing efficiency, for 21/2 quarters, and the two teams were locked in a 3-3 tie before the Cyclones took advantage of two Tech fumbles to break it open.

Wallace also threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Lance Young and Michael Wagner added a 3-yard TD run for the Cyclones, who are off to their best start since winning their first seven games in 1938. It's the first time Iowa State has been 3-0 in league play since 1949.

The game had been hyped as showcasing the Big 12's top two offenses and two Heisman Trophy candidates - Wallace and Kingsbury. But the defenses dominated until Iowa State got its offense cranked up in the second half.

Even then, the defense helped out.

Iowa State's Jeremy Loyd ripped the ball from Tech receiver Anton Paige, giving the Cyclones the ball at midfield. Wallace completed passes of 28 yards to Danielsen and 17 yards to Young before working his magic on second down at the 12 to put Iowa State ahead 10-3.

Pressured as he dropped back to pass, Wallace retreated all the way to the 32, ran toward the right sideline, barely stayed inbounds as he continued looking for a receiver, then started back to his left at the 10.

Cutting behind a crunching block from Wagner on cornerback Ricky Sailor, Wallace strolled into the end zone untouched.

Tech came right back with a 15-play, 79-yard drive that Kingsbury finished with a 1-yard dive to tie it, but Iowa State needed only one play to regain the lead.

Starting the next possession at its 21, Iowa State caught the defense pursuing to the right when Danielsen came around from his flanker position running left. He got a good block downfield from Jack Whitver, shook off Joselio Hanson's attempted tackle at the 20 and outran the pursuit to the end zone.

Six plays later, Iowa State's Matt Word knocked the ball loose as Kingsbury scrambled. Anthony Forrest recovered for the Cyclones at the Tech 40. Iowa State needed only five plays to score, with Wagner going the final 3 yards to make it 24-10.

Wallace's TD pass to Young stretched the lead to 31-10 with 5:51 left and, more importantly, took 8:57 off the clock.

Kingsbury finished 35-of-48 with one interception. His only touchdown pass was a 1-yard throw to Carlos Francis with 2:15 left. Wallace was 15-of-22 for 148 yards and no interceptions.

Texas Tech and Iowa State ranked 1-2 in the Big 12 in total offense, but each team could manage only a measly field goal in the first half. A Tech defense that had surrendered seven touchdown passes in an overtime victory over Texas A&M a week earlier kept Wallace in check, and the Cyclones had to scratch and claw for every yard.

One of the longest plays in the first half was a 25-yard run by Tech's Ryan Aycock on a fake punt late in the first quarter. Aycock gave the Red Raiders a first down at the Iowa State 37, but they stalled at the 19 and Robert Treece kicked a 37-yard field goal to tie it.